A variety of asset management systems are well known in the art. Often, assets are tagged with an identifying number or code. For example, a very common identification means is provided by employing barcode labels. The asset identifying code is then available for input into a system, as required, for a variety of uses or functions. In many such systems the respective terminal into which the asset's code is input (e.g., scanned or read) typically has a known or fixed location identifier. For example, when a respective terminal is installed it may be assigned an alphanumeric code, or the location information may simply be input into the terminal where it is stored in a memory structure for future recalling. Should the terminal later need to be moved any significant distance, the location information must be updated in order to continue to provide accurate location reporting.
If the terminals that are employed to receive an identifying code of an asset, as well as other information, are small and or portable in structure, and used by personnel over a significant area (such as a large factory complex) or over a geographic region (such as a county or state), providing accurate location information can be problematic. In such situations, to maintain accuracy in reporting the location of assets, it may indeed be necessary for a user to repeatedly, and manually, input a current location.
When considering the need to inventory, track, and or maintain status, location, and possibly other information for a plurality of distributed assets, which are to be managed and inventoried for an extended period of service (say months or years) and possibly over a large area/region, the task is even more difficult to accomplish accurately.
In demanding inventory control and management situations, wherein human error is to be minimized or eliminated, there is a need for an easy to use system and method of operation wherein individuals can quickly and accurately identify the respective asset, and subsequently, in an automated fashion determine a current location of the asset. Once this information is available, as well as other information that may be determined and or included, it would be most desirable to be able to collect such information in a specified location or locations wherein interested and authorized individuals can access the information, as required.
Accordingly, there is a need for an asset management and status system enabling a plurality of assets to be tracked, managed, and efficiently monitored. Preferably such a system would be easy to use, and include an accessible database of asset information, which is established, updated, and available for interested and or authorized individuals to employ, as necessary for tracking, managing, determining the status of, and or deploying a plurality of distributed assets. Additionally, it would be most desirable to have a preferably portable data communication terminal which is structured for determining the identifying code of the asset, a current location, etc., and making this information available for updating one or more records of the database.
A number of other characteristics, advantages, and or associated novel features of the present invention, will become clear from the description and figures provided herein. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. In particular, the embodiments included and described, have been chosen in order to best explain the principles, features, and characteristics of the invention, and its practical application, to thereby enable skilled persons to best utilize the invention and a wide variety of embodiments providable that are based on these principles, features, and characteristics. Accordingly, all equivalent variations possible are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the appended claims.